


New Year's Eve

by Pikachunicorn



Category: New X-Men: Academy X, X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, drunk julian, prequel to Reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-02
Updated: 2017-05-02
Packaged: 2018-10-27 03:13:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10800504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pikachunicorn/pseuds/Pikachunicorn
Summary: A prequel to Reunion, explaining what Julian actually got up to at the YA NYE party.Makes total sense without reading Reunion, dw.





	New Year's Eve

When it comes to the students of the Jean Grey School, parties mean a variety of things, and have a variety of impacts on their feelings (and levels of intoxication). Initially, few had planned to attend the Young Avengers' impromptu 'the world is saved'/Happy New Year party. This was, of course, Julian's fault. He was adamant that _anything Avengers could do, X-Men could do better_. Although, that plan fell through when Hellion decided that he really couldn't be bothered with all the planning. It was soon decided that, yes, _anything Avengers could do, X-Men could do better, but X-Men didn't have to prove that to anyone._

And so, Julian allowed everyone to attend (AKA, he stopped forcibly ignoring the fact that people were already going). Which, in retrospect, he now began to regret. He was very drunk. _Not_ tipsy. _Not_ stumbling. _Not_ even his father mid-golf-getaway level. No. Julian Keller was currently what many would affectionately refer to as _'white girl wasted'_.

The worst part of it was that almost every time he went to do something stupid, his mind would tell him how bad of an idea that was, but by the time he listened, he'd already have done it. So, he was a big ball of regret right now, but a big ball that wouldn't stop rolling onwards into saying and doing more embarrassing things.

He was caught off guard when Cessily slung an arm around his waist.

" _Woah_!" She laughed, taking his arm in her free hand. She wore an odd makeshift flower crown on her head that Julian couldn't take his eyes or concentration off. _Where did she get it?_ He wanted one... "How much have you had to drink?"

He shrugged, eyes still on the neatly arranged flora in her hair. "Dunno- Where did you get this?"

He reached up to it, before Cess slapped his hand away sharply. "Julian, you're drunk."

"Pst!" He huffed, flicking his hand in an extremely effeminate way. "No, I'm not!" Even without pupils, the intensity of Cessily's accusing look was prominent. "Well, _yeah_ , I _am_. But I'm fine!"

"Jules..." Cessily held her friend at arms-length and looked into his expression. "I don't want you getting upset again. You know what you're like when you drink."

"Do I look upset?" He countered, forcing a wide smile. Cessily rolled her eyes.

"Fine! Fine!" She held her hands up and stepped back. "Nori and I are hanging out by the gate. Anything happens, you get your butt to us immediately, yeah?"

"Yes, mom!" He teased, stumbling terribly when she tugged him into a tight hug.

"Love you, Jules." She whispered, holding the embrace for a second before drawing back. "Now go have safe and sensible fun!"

"Mmhmm!" He hummed, watching her weave her way back through the crowd until her figure entirely disappeared. Leaning against the wooden pylon beside him, he sighed. Everything was slowing now and, Cess had been right, he was heading for the _'upset'_ area of drunk. He watched the teens around him dance and laugh, and was suddenly struck with a crushing sense of loneliness.

Drawing out his phone, he held it tightly in both hands, slowly navigating through the icons like some sort of pensioner. It took him approximately three times longer than it should have by the time he had the dial tone sounding in his ear. Lowering his hands to his sides, he used his TK to maintain the phone's position at the side of his face.

"Hello?" The sleek tone had Julian melting against the wooden pole with a satisfied hum. He was only brought back to attention when the voice spoke up again. "Keller? It's late. What do you want?"

" _Heeeeeeeeeyyyy_ , pretty pretty pretty boy." He whisper-yelled to the phone. _This was a bad idea. He couldn't stop._

There was silence from the other end of the line for a moment. "Julian, are you drunk?"

"God, _yes_ , Elixir! Live a little! It's only a little alcohol!" He dropped his head back and rolled it around, his drunk mind enjoying the sensation for some reason.

"Where are you?" Josh's voice was firm and level, and it caused Julian to frown. _What was his problem?_

"I dunno." He shrugged even though he knew Josh couldn't see it. "The Young Avengers are having a New Year's party. I didn't wanna even come but-" he shrugged again, not finishing the sentence. "Don't you think Hawkeye is cute. Like... _Girl_ Hawkeye. Not the other one. I'm not really-"

"Julian!" Josh cut him off firmly. "Where's Cessily?"

"She's with Nori, obviously!" Julian emphasized the word like a teenage girl from some sort of 00's sitcom. "She told me to look after myself though."

"Oh, _well that's alright then_." Josh retorted sarcastically. "Don't do anything stupid, okay? I'm gonna-"

"I miss you so much it physical hurts sometimes!" Julian blurted out. Silence followed. Very awkward, uncomfortable silence. Silence that wasn't made any easier by the volume of the party surrounding it.

"What the _hell_ , Julian?" Josh sighed exasperatedly.

"Well, I was just thinking. Like. We don't talk that much anymore. We just sort of... Get it on."

"Did you just seriously say _'get it on'_?"

"Ya, but you know know what I mean." Julian huffed. He watched his hands mindlessly, twisting them, turning them, stretching out metal joints. "Like, I have feelings, you know!"

Another pause. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I care about you, Foley. But you don't _like_ me!" Julian's whined words were met with a huff of laughter from the cell.

"I like you, Julian. We're not fifteen anymore. I'm over that. We're friends." There was a gentle tone to Josh's voice now, soft and reassuring.

"You think I'm _mean_!" Julian moaned, elongating the final word in the whiniest manner.

"No, I don't," there was a short pause before, "actually, yeah, I do. You can be a real ass sometimes. But you know that."

"Yeah, well..." Julian trailed off into another non-visible shrug. "I just wanted you to know you are really pretty and I want to be more than sex buddies."

"Julian, please stop talking." Josh sighed, second-hand embarrassment dripping from his tone.

Julian crinkled his nose at the shuffling sounds and muffled voices from the phone in that moment. _Who was Josh talking to? Was he with someone else?_ As predictable as that would be, it still made Julian's heart sink.

"Listen, just..." Josh paused mid-sentence, as if he was distracted before finishing what he had planned to say. "Stay put and don't cause any trouble. Laters, dude."

And then a shrill beep rang out in Julian's ear, signalling the end of the call.

He took the phone back in his hands, looking down at it sadly. Josh _hung up_ _on him._ _Oh_. _That wasn't very nice._ He pouted sadly, and past his intoxication, the embarrassment began to set in.

He was only mildly distracted by the start of the countdown. The teens around him cheered and counted, louder with every number.

_Eight!_

Julian wasn't interested, if he was honest.

_Seven!_

What difference did one night make anyway?

_Six!_

The next year was gonna be just like this one.

_Five!_

Or hopefully not, because if it was, he may end it with no limbs left at all.

_Four!_

Seriously, screw the new year.

Three!

A hand took his arm and spun him around, puzzling his drunk mind in a moment too quick to comprehend.

_Two!_

His eyes widened at the smirking expression looking back at him.

_One!_

"Josh? What are you-"

_Happy New Year!_

And in a moment, his only-slightly numb mouth was being taken in a deep kiss. He almost drew back in surprise, before relaxing easily into the contact and kissing back, pushing metal fingers into pale hair to draw the other boy closer.

Distantly, he could hear fireworks and cheering, but it was as if he were in his own bubble. He was unsure whether that was from the alcohol or the kiss, but it was pretty cool either way.

He drew back slowly, trying to ignore the way Josh chased at his lips a little. "What are you doing here?"

"Happy New Year, Julian." Josh grinned, a bright, winning smile that Julian noted in this moment had probably been instrumental in why Josh was such a slut. He was absolutely _stunning_.

"Hi." Julian said in response. The only thing his brain - which was currently short-circuiting could come up with.

Josh just laughed, pushing their foreheads together. "I hate you when you drink. You know that?"

"Do you wanna be my boyfriend?!" Julian almost snapped out, the alcohol forcing the words out before he could stop it.

Another laugh. And they were kissing again. Slower now.

When the contact broke, Josh lowered his voice to a whisper.

_"Sure, why the hell not?"_


End file.
